Means for supporting wigs



p 1957 R. B. SHAW ETAL 3,342,478

MEANS FOR SUPPORTING WIGS Filed April 5, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

I N VEN TORS 2 RICHARD B. SHAW BY GERALD STOCKTON ATTORNEYS p 1967 R. B. SHAW ETAL 3,342,473

MEANS FOR SUPPORTING WIGS Filed April 5, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS 4 RICHARD SHAW BY GERALD STOCKTON ATTORNEYS United States Patent F 3,342,478 MEANS FOR SUPPORTING WIGS Richard B. Shaw, Beaehwood, Ohio, and Gerald Stock- This invention relates generally to means for supporting wigs, but has reference more particularly to means for retaining or supporting wigs on a manikin head or other head-simulating device, to permit work to be performed on or in connection with the wig.

Wigs, as conventionally made, consist of a fabric or netting base to which the hair which oonsistutes the wig is adhered or otherwise secured.

In preparing the wig for the person by whom the wig is intended to be worn, the wig is usually placed on a manikin head or similar device, and the operator performs necessary work on the wig. Since such manikin heads are usually made of a plastic or other material which has a relatively smooth surface, the wig, when placed on such head, has a tendency to slip or shift, making it difficult for the operator to perform the necessary work on the wig.

The present invention has as its primary object the provision of means which will retain or hold the wig securely in position on a manikin head or similar device, thereby enabling the operator to perform work on the wig without the annoyance of having the wig slip or move from a selected position.

Another object of the invention is to provide means of the character described, which can easily be attached to and removed from a manikin head, without requiring the use of extraneous or separate fastening means for this purpose.

A further object of the invention is to provide means of the character described, which enables the wig to :be quickly and easily attached thereto and as quickly and easily removed therefrom.

A still further object of the invention is to provide means of the character described, which consists of a relatively soft and flexible material, which is conformable manually to the shape of the manikin head, and which, when applied or conformed to such head, tends to retain its shaped condition on such head.

Other objects and advantages of our invention will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a manikin head, showing a preferred form of the means or device of the present invention mounted on said head;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view, taken on the line 2--2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a bottom plan view of a modification of the means or device of the present invention, and

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 2, but utilizing the means or device of FIG. 3.

Referring more particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2, reference numeral 1 designates a manikin head or similar device, which is usually made of a lightweight, porous, plastic material, such, for example, as Styrofoam. The porosity of such material is usually such that it can be easily penetrated by any relatively rigid thin member or element, such as a prong.

Reference numeral 2 designates a device, made of a relatively thin, flexible, plastic, such, for example, as polyethylene, and provided on its lower surface with a relatively long prong 3, which is formed integrally with 3,342,478 Patented Sept. 19, 1967 "ice the device 2, and extends downwardly from the center of the device 2, and with four somewhat shorter prongs 4, which are also formed integrally with the device 2 and extend downwardly from the ends of the device 2.

The device 2 is further provided with a multiplicity of relatively short prongs 5, which are formed integrally with the device 2 and extend upwardly from the device at uniformly spaced points.

The device 2 is normally of flat shape, that is to say, it is relatively flat, in its natural or unfiexed condition, but may be readily bent or flexed to conform with the shape of the manikin head 1, as best shown in FIG. 2.

Although the device 2 is depicted in this instance as of cruciform shape, it is to be understood that it can be made of any desired shape or form, such as round, polygonal, etc.

In using the device 2, it is bent or flexed to the shape shown in FIG. 2, and the prongs 3 and 4 are inserted into the porous material of the head 1, the prongs serving to retain the device 2 in its bent or flexed shape on the head 1.

With the device 2 thus positioned on the head 1, the wig (not shown) on which work is to be performed, is laid on the headgl, and the device 2, causing the prongs 5 to penetrate the interstices of the fabric or netting base of the wig, thereby securely holding the wig against slipping or shifting relatively to the head 1, while such work is being performed.

Due to the fact that the prongs 5 are relatively short, the wig can be easily lifted from the head 1, and replaced on the head, without disturbing the device 2.

After the necessary work has been performed on the Wig, the device 2 can be easily removed from the head 1, if desired, by merely pulling the device from the head, the prongs 3 and 4 being easily removable from the porous head.

In FIGS. 3 and 4, we have shown a. modification of the device, in which the device 2 is generally of the same material and form of the device 2, but is not provided on its lower surface with the prongs 3 and 4 of the device shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. Instead, the device 2' is coated on its lower surface with a pressure-sensitive adhesive 6, which is normally covered with a protective layer of Holland cloth 7, pending use of the device.

The device 2, similarly to the device 2, is provided with a multiplicity of relatively short prongs 5', which are formed integrally with the device and extend upwardly from the device at uniformly spaced points.

The device 2' is normally of flat shape, that is to say, it is relatively flat in its natural or unflexed condition, but may be readily bent or flexed to conform with the shape of the manikin head 1, as best shown in FIG. 4.

Although the device 2 is depicted in this instance as of cruciform shape, it is to be understood that it can be made of any desired shape or contour, such as round, polygonal, etc.

In using the device 2', the Holland cloth 7 is pulled or stripped from the device, in the manner shown in FIG. 3, to expose the adhesive coating 6. The device is then bent or flexed to the shape shown in FIG. 4, and the adhesive coating 6 caused to adhere to the head 1, the adhesive coating retaining the device in. its bent or flexed shape on the head 1, until the device is pulled oil? the head.

With the device 2' thus positioned on the head 1, the wig (not shown) on which work is to be performed, is laid on the head 1 and device 2, causing the prongs 5' to penetrate the interstices of the fabric or netting base of the wig, thereby securely holding the wig against slipping or shifting relatively to the head 1, while such work is being performed.

It is to be understood that the forms of our invention, herewith shown and described, are to be taken as preferred examples of the same, and that various changes may be made in the shape, size and arrangement of parts thereof, without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claim.

Having thus described our invention, we claim:

In combination with a manikin head of a porous plastic penetrable material adapted for the support of a Wig, means for retaining said wig on said manikin head and for securing said wig on said head against shifting while work is being performed on the wig, said means comprising a member of relatively thin flexible plastic material conformable to the shape of said head and having upper and lower surfaces, said member having relatively long prongs formed integrally with said member extending from its lower surface and penetrating said manikin head for securing said member to said head, and said References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,211,160 12/1965 Miller 2198 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,217,287 12/1959 France. 1,366,125 6/1964 France.

ROBERT C. RIORDON, Primary Examiner.

J. F. MCKEOWN, E. SUTTON, Assistant Examiners. 

